Depot work nearing a conclusion

January 19, 2012

By

Bob Shraluka

The City of Decatur continues to move closer to putting completely back in order — and ready for a tenant — the 100-year-old former Pennsylvania Railroad depot off Seventh St., near Monroe St.
City council on Tuesday night authorized the expenditure of $12,000 to pay some bills and learned that it soon will be time to consider purchasing a new furnace for the structure.
City Building and Zoning Superintendent Roger Gage, who has been overseeing work on the old depot, said at Tuesday's meeting that the walls of the building have been scraped and holes patched. "Now we're about ready to paint, but we're going to have to get some heat in the building (before painting)."
Later will come a new or totally revamped floor.
Over the past year or so, the building has undergone tuckpointing, had its windows worked on and put back in place, and had its doors redone. All exterior work has been completed, at a oost of some $30,000.
"We've been doing (the work) in stages," Mayor John Schultz said. "It's too nice a building to let go."
A furnace will cost $5,000 to $6,000 to have installed, according to Gage.
The Adams County Community Foundation has set up a fund by which people may donate to the depot, "and Coni (Mayer, director) and the foundation have been a big help," Gage added.
Council voted 4-1 — Bill Crone voting "no" — to take $12,000 from the Community Capital Development Fund (CCD) to get all bills paid up to date.
Once the work is totally completed, the city will seek an occupant. The depot was last occupied some three years ago by a floral shop.
NOTE: Several members of Zion Lutheran Church's Boy Scout Troop 60 and their Scoutmasters attended the meeting.